DESCRIPTION. State the application'sbroad, long-termobjectivesandspecificaims,making referencetothe health relatednessof theproject. Describe concisely the researchdesign and methods for achieving thesegoals. Avoidsummariesof past accomplishmentsand the use of the first person. This description is meant to serve as a succinct and accurate description of the proposed work when separated from the application. If the application is funded, this description, as is, will become public information. Therefore, do not include proprietary/confidential information. DO NOT EXCEED THE SPACE PROVIDED. This proposal is a competitive renewal of a successful and established predoctoral training program whose objective is to broadly train high qualityresearch scientists in basic genetic approaches to the study of biology at the molecular, cellular, organismal, and population level. Funds are requested to support 15 trainees for 1-3 years each. Students enter the training program upon admission to the Departmentof Genetics based on merit and potential for success in scientific careers. Students are rigorously trained in cutting-edge genetic and biochemical research and data analysis through laboratory research, classes, and attendance at seminars. In addition, they gain written and oral communication skills through preliminaryand qualifying examinations; presentations at lab meetings, seminars, and journal clubs; attendance at national and internationalmeetings; and preparation of manuscripts for publication. Students obtain teaching experience through a requirement to serve as leaching assistants in undergraduate introductory genetics or evolutionary biolo.gy for at least one semester in their second or third year. During their first year, students participate in lecture courses in either a molecular or a population and evolutionary genetics track, and they complete 3-4 laboratory research rotations. They then begin dissertation research and in years 2-5 enroll in seminars, advanced electives and special topics courses. To insure that students complete degree requirements in a timely manner, progress is monitored twice yearly by the Graduate Affairs Committee and students' dissertation committees. Written and oral examinationsand major courses must be completed by the end of the fifth semester, and students meet at least once annuidly with their dissertation committees. A major strength of the program is the interdisciplinarytraining students receive in molecular, population and evolutionary genetics from 29 training faculty representing a wide range of genetic disciplines. Students in each curriculum track take at least one major course in the other track. In addition, attendance is expected at two specialized annual symposia organized by the Department of Genetics, the Georgia Genetics Symposium and the Winter Evolutionary Biology Symposium. Graduates from this training program over the past 28 years have been highly successful in careers in academia, government, and industry. The training program is dynamic and will continue to produce broadly trained leaders in genetics as it embraces the exciting genetic developments of the 21st century. PERFORMANCE SITE(S) (organization, city, state) Departments of Genetics, Biochemistry, Botany, Cellular Biology, Crop and Soil Sciences, Entomology, Microbiology, Plant Pathology and Forest Resources Life Sciences Bldg., Plant Sciences Bldg., Biological Sciences Bldg., Forest Resources Bldg. University of Georgia Athens, GA 30602 KEY PERSONNEL. See instructions on Page 11. Use continuation pages as neededto provide the required information in the format shown below. Name Organization Role on Project Katherine Spindler Department of Genetics Program Director Marjorie Asmussen Department of Genetics Co-Program Director Wyatt Anderson Department of Genetics Mentor Jonathan Arnold Department of Genetics Mentor Mike Arnold Department of Genetics Mentor John Avise Department of Genetics Mentor Mary Bedell Department of Genetics Mentor Michael Bender Department of Genetics Mentor Sarah Covert Department of Forest Resources Mentor Kelly Dawe Departments of Botany and Genetics Mentor Claiborne Glover III Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Mentor Scott Gold Department of Plant Pathology Mentor James Hamrick Departments of Botany and Genetics Mentor Robert Ivarie Department of Genetics Mentor Edward Kipreos Department of Cellular Biology Mentor PHS 398 (Rev. 4/98) Page 2 BB Number pages consecutively at the bottom throughout the application. Do not use suffixes such as 3a, 3b. BB Principal Investigator/Program Director (Last, first, middle): Spindler, Katherine R. KEY PERSONNEL. See instructions on Page 11. Use continuation pages as neededto provide the required information in the format shown below. Name Organization Role on Project Sidney Kushner Department of Genetics Mentor Russell Malmberg Department of Botany Mentor Rodney Mauricio Department of Genetics Mentor John McDonald Department of Genetics Mentor Mike McEachern Department of Genetics Mentor Richard Meagher Department of Genetics Mentor Andrew Paterson Departments of Botany,Crop and Soil Sciences, and Mentor Genetics Daniel Promislow Department of Genetics Mentor Kenneth Ross Department of Entomology Mentor Mark Schell Department of Microbiology Mentor Lawrence Shimkets Department of Microbiology Mentor Michael Terns Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Mentor Susan Wessler Departments of Botany and Genetics Mentor Janet Westpheling Department of Genetics Mentor PHS 398 (Rev. 4/98) Page 3 BB Number pages consecutively at the bottom throughoutthe application. Do not use suffixes such as 3a, 3b. NN Program Director (Last, first, middle): Splndler. Kathehne R.' Type the name of the program director at the top of each printed page and each continuation page. (For type specifications, see instructions on page 6.) INSTITUTIONAL NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARD